When Su Xiao Si returned victorious from abroad, Su Xiao Tian had already made significant progress in setting up the Su family's new commercial center building.
He was overjoyed, seeing how his sister was becoming more capable by the day. In such a short time, she had managed to furnish the entire building.
Now, all he needed to do was handle the procurement of goods, and they could officially open for business.
However, before he could fully savor his happiness, he received even more shocking news.
Xiao Tian had not only completed the preparations but had also set the opening date.
Upon hearing that the opening was scheduled for just one month later, Su Xiao Si almost burst into tears.
"Little sister, when you set the date, didn't you consider how long it takes to procure goods?"
Su Xiao Si asked Su Xiao Tian with a dejected expression. But Su Xiao Tian didn't seem to notice his question at all.
Why?
Because Chi Yi Yuan had returned with Su Xiao Si.
The moment Su Xiao Tian saw Chi Yi Yuan, her eyes and brows were solely focused on him, leaving no room for Su Xiao Si's presence.
She gazed at Chi Yi Yuan with adoration, her eyes filled with affection.
Looking at Chi Yi Yuan, who had become noticeably thinner, Su Xiao Tian suddenly felt a prickling in her eyes, even an urge to cry.
She had seen Chi Yi Yuan over the past two years, so why was she so uncontrollably moved to tears upon seeing him?
Chi Yi Yuan, looking at Su Xiao Tian, who had grown up and become even more beautiful, couldn't help but affectionately pinch her cheek.
"Your cheeks have lost their plumpness. Haven't you been eating properly?"
Su Xiao Tian's tears instantly evaporated when her cheek was pinched.
"I'm just slender. It's not that I haven't been eating properly," Su Xiao Tian replied coyly.
Hearing her familiar voice, Chi Yi Yuan longed to embrace the person in his heart, but ultimately, he dared not do anything.
Grandma Su arrived at that moment, carrying pastries and fruits.
"Xiao Yuan, why didn't you let us know in advance that you were coming back?" Grandma Su placed plates of pastries and fruits in front of Chi Yi Yuan, her voice filled with gentle chiding.
Chi Yi Yuan smiled and asked, "Grandma Su, are you still in good health?"
"My health is excellent. It's you, child, who looks thinner. Now that you're back, Grandma will cook delicious meals for you every day, and you'll be well-nourished in no time."
Chi Yi Yuan was deeply touched by Grandma Su's words.
During his time in Germany, no one had ever cared whether he ate enough or was warm, whether he had gained or lost weight.
It was as if he had nominal relatives, but they were merely that – in name only.
His so-called relatives had never shown him even a sliver of care or affection.
Let alone thinking about whether his life was going smoothly.
Recalling the past two years, Chi Yi Yuan suddenly felt vulnerable, and a tear finally escaped the corner of his eye.
Grandma Su was busy attending to Chi Yi Yuan and didn't notice.
However, Su Xiao Tian, standing nearby, saw everything.
She suddenly felt a pang of heartache.
Brother Yi Yuan hadn't had a good time these past two years.
Chi Yi Yuan pretended to look down, using the opportunity to wipe the tears from his eyes.
Scenes from the past few years flashed before him.
The initial period after arriving in Germany was an indelible pain in his life.
And the reason those pains were difficult to let go of was that they were inflicted upon him by his own family.
Even after so much time had passed, Chi Yi Yuan still couldn't comprehend that his own parents could do such a thing.
Selling their son for glory – was wealth and status so important to them?
If it had been a stepfather or stepmother, Chi Yi Yuan felt he could understand.
He had even doubted if he was adopted by that cold-blooded couple.
But clearly, he knew very well that he was their biological son.
Chi Yi Yuan never understood; even if they weren't with him since childhood, had they completely lost all familial affection?
Since they gave birth to him, why couldn't they take responsibility for him?
They were the ones who abandoned him in the country as a child, so why should he bear the consequences in the end?
Fortunately, he still had a group of non-blood relatives in this land.
Grandpa Su, Grandma Su, and the other members of the Su family treated him very well.
Even Grandpa and Grandma Du doted on him like their own grandson.
Holding a large meat bun offered by Grandma Su, Chi Yi Yuan said with a smile, "Grandma, I'm in great health. I look thin because I'm all muscle!"
As he spoke, Chi Yi Yuan didn't stop, waving his now firm arm.
He had transformed from a frail boy into a sturdy young man.
His demeanor was completely different from when he had left, and Grandma Su felt very gratified.
Su Xiao Si, standing beside them, became even more disheartened. What was going on?
This was supposed to be his home, and the old woman was his own grandmother.
Why was she doting on this brat Chi Yi Yuan so much?
Did Grandma know that this kid had been eyeing their precious Xiao Tian since childhood?
"Grandma, I want a bun too!" Su Xiao Si finally couldn't help but ask.
Grandma Su glared at him and said, "Can't you get a bun yourself? You're already so old."
Although she spoke with a hint of complaint, Grandma Su's hand was honest as she took a plump, white meat bun and handed it to her grandson.
Su Xiao Si, despite being reprimanded by Grandma Su, was in a good mood after receiving the bun.
"Grandma, you have no idea how terrible the food is abroad. The first day it was fine, but after three days, I couldn't even swallow it. Look, I've lost weight!"
Upon hearing Su Xiao Si's words, Grandma Su suddenly understood.
"No wonder that child Yi Yuan looks so thin; it turns out the food there is unappetizing!"
"It's no wonder that girl Christina wanted to eat delicious food as soon as she came here. Poor thing!"
Su Xiao Si: "..."
What was going on?
He was talking about not eating enough or well, but why did his grandmother shift the topic to Chi Yi Yuan and even mention Christina, completely forgetting about him?
Su Xiao Tian, sitting to the side, couldn't help but smile at Su Xiao Si's bewildered expression.
Grandma Su, meanwhile, was arranging for someone to pick up Chi Ge while also busy preparing a feast to welcome Chi Yi Yuan and Su Xiao Si.
Because of this interruption, Su Xiao Tian didn't end up crying.
With their emotions gradually calming down, they finally had time to catch up.
Su Xiao Si also had the opportunity to tell Su Xiao Tian about their marketing efforts abroad and inquire about the preparations for the building's shop openings.
"Fourth Brother, you just focus on procuring goods. I've already prepared most of the other things. Starting today, well-known newspapers in the capital will publish recruitment advertisements. I've specifically hired people to help with interviews to ensure we find the most suitable candidates for these roles."
"Furthermore, the ingredients for the hot pot and barbecue restaurants on the second floor are already perfect and are sure to be a huge hit. Once the recruited staff are in place, a simple pre-job training will have them ready to go."
Su Xiao Tian explained all the work she had already completed to Su Xiao Si.
Su Xiao Si had to admit that Su Xiao Tian had done a perfect job.
There was little left for him to worry about.
As for procurement, Su Xiao Si was not concerned at all.
He had purchased a batch of goods from Germany earlier, which had already been shipped. According to the schedule, they should arrive in the country within a week at the latest.
For other goods, he had regular suppliers and didn't need to worry too much.
Truly speaking, the most effort would be required for the clothing sections on the fourth and fifth floors.
According to Su Xiao Tian's plan, the fourth floor would be dedicated to women's wear, complemented by counters for jewelry and cosmetics.
In essence, any woman who was beauty-conscious would find everything she needed on the fourth floor for a one-stop shopping experience.
The fifth floor, on the other hand, would house the men's wear, children's wear, and middle-aged and elderly sections, in addition to the shoe and hat area.
Procuring these items would require some thought, and upon learning of these arrangements, Su Xiao Si decided to make a trip to Rongcheng for procurement.
After these matters were discussed, Su Xiao Tian inquired about their experiences in Germany.
Su Xiao Si briefly recounted their situation.
Naturally, to prevent Su Xiao Tian from worrying too much, he omitted the difficulties he encountered upon his arrival in Germany, only mentioning how much the German public had come to like Lu Xiang Xiang's food later on.
In short, the Su brothers had a unified habit of reporting good news and withholding bad news when speaking with their sister.
Su Xiao Si was no exception.
While the young people were talking, the first to arrive were Du Tong and his wife.
They couldn't help but fuss over Chi Yi Yuan and talk to him for a while.
Following them, Su Tao Hua and Shen Zi Zhen, a couple, also arrived.
It turned out that when they received the call, they happened to have a car nearby, which brought them directly over.
Seeing the increasing number of arrivals, Su Xiao Tian realized it wasn't the right time to talk and proactively went to help Grandma Su with her tasks.
That evening was another lively one for the Su family. Except for Su Shou Wen, who returned with his wife and child to his maternal home, and Su San Gong, who was conducting research in another city, all other members of the Su family were present.
Many people got drunk that night.
Even Chi Ge, who hadn't drunk alcohol in years, had a few drinks.
If Su Xiao Tian hadn't persuaded him, he probably would have continued drinking until he was completely inebriated.
Su Xiao Tian quietly prepared hangover soup for Chi Ge. Su Dan Novel Network
Grandpa Chi's health was not good. In recent years, coupled with the fact that his only grandson couldn't be by his side, his mood had become depressed, and his health deteriorated further.
If it weren't for Su Xiao Tian preparing medicinal meals to nourish him every so often, he would have been on his last legs.
After drinking, Chi Ge became more talkative.
His words were filled with dissatisfaction towards his children who were abroad.
Apart from Chi Nian Dong and his wife who had returned with their child, his other son and daughter had not visited him, their father, in the country.
This caused the old man great distress.
However, this distress was something he couldn't express to others; no matter how upset he was, he could only bear it silently.
In recent years, Chi Ge's health had been declining, and this was partly related to it.
Chi Yi Yuan listened to his grandfather's words with great sadness.
How could he not know that his grandfather was missing his children and grandchildren?
However, during his time in Germany, he had also tried to communicate with his uncle and aunt, urging them to return and visit their grandfather.
But they had refused.
They said that returning to the country would delay their affairs and incur significant expenses.
Chi Yi Yuan was deeply disappointed by this.
But he knew he couldn't show any disappointment.
As long as he appeared even slightly unnatural, it would be like stabbing his grandfather in the heart.
Chi Grandpa was drunk, and with the help of Liang Xiu and Su Xiao Jiu, Su Xiao Tian fed him hangover soup and helped him to his room to rest.
By this time, everyone else was also drunk.
Fortunately, the Su family's courtyard was spacious, with many rooms, and the Du family lived nearby with their own large courtyard.
In the end, even Su Tao Hua and Shen Zi Zhen stayed overnight instead of returning home.
The night passed without incident.
The next morning, upon seeing Chi Ge again, the old man appeared calm and composed.
It was as if everything that had happened was in the past.
Su Xiao Tian could only sigh.
She could only hope that after Chi Yi Yuan's return, Chi Ge's heart would feel a little lighter and he wouldn't be so dejected.
In the following days, everyone was very busy.
Chi Yi Yuan's assets from earlier years had dwindled to almost nothing after these years.
Fortunately, he was a truly capable person and had earned some money in Germany over the past two years, which he could now use for investment.
Su Xiao Tian had no doubt about Chi Yi Yuan's future success.
Chi Ge had completely lost hope in his children and entrusted his remaining assets to Chi Yi Yuan.
"This is the last of our Chi family's fortune. Grandpa is giving it all to you. From now on, the Chi family will depend on you!"
Chi Yi Yuan did not refuse but accepted it directly.
These assets were likely intended for his children by his grandfather, yet none of his three children seemed to care about the old man.
Perhaps they thought that after the catastrophe, all of the Chi family's fortune was gone.
They might even have considered their father, who remained in the country, to be a burden.
"Grandpa, I will always be filial to you and make you happy!" Chi Yi Yuan solemnly promised.
A faint smile appeared on Chi Ge's lips.
This smile carried not only relief but also a hint of sadness.
Chi Yi Yuan saw it but said nothing.
Taking the money his grandfather gave him, along with the money he brought back from abroad, he began to invest in the country.
Meanwhile, Su Xiao Tian embarked on a new round of reception work.
This time, it was another delegation from Country Y, also here to discuss business. The higher authorities attached great importance to it and specifically briefed Su Xiao Tian on the arrangements.
Although Su Xiao Tian was not yet the backbone of the Translation Department, she was indeed an indispensable presence.
Despite still being an intern, the work she undertook in the Translation Department was far beyond that of a typical intern.
During this period, Su Xiao Tian wasn't particularly eager to be busy with work. After all, Chi Yi Yuan had finally returned, and in her heart, Su Xiao Tian hoped to spend more time with him.
But unfortunately, her work was busy, and Chi Yi Yuan was even busier, almost to the point of being on his feet constantly.
Su Xiao Tian felt it was truly inappropriate to disturb Chi Yi Yuan.
So, she also fully dedicated herself to her own work.